Seal.



No. 647,052. Patented Apr. l0, I900. E. TYDEN.

SEAL.

(Application filed Apr. 29, 1899.)

(No Model.-)

z 45 7L YFLQELW V 1 ja /e72 for.

ATENT rric EMIL TYDEN, OF HASTINGS, MlOI-IIGAN,-ASSIGNOR TO THEINTERNATIONAL SEAL AND LOOK COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,052, dated April10, 1900; Application e.. April 29.1899. Serial No. 715,071. on modeli)To all. whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, EMIL TYDEN, a citizen of the United States, residingat Hastings, county of Barry, and State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Seals, which are fully set forthin the following specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part'thereof.

This invention is an improvement in selflocking seals.

It consists of the details and special features of construction whichare particularly set out in the claims.

Figure 1 is afront elevation of my improved self-locking seal in one ofits forms, the same being shown locked. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionat the plane of the line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section at the line3 3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective of the shell without the strap.Fig. 5 is a plan of the strap detached from the shell of the form shownin Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an elevation of a modified form. Fig. 7 is a planof the strap-blank for the form of seal shown.in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is aplan of the strap-engaging diaphragm orinterior brace .for the shell.

In rnyimproved seal, as shown in the abovedescribed figures, Arepresents the shell, composed of the two members A and A-, each ofwhich is in the form of a cup, such cups being joined by an ordinarymetal seam at their periphery or margin,constituting when joined a shellwhich is circular about a longitudinal axis transverse to the plane oftheir junctionseam a. Each member has at the otherwiseclosed end anarrow slit a a, designed to accommodate the secured end of thestrap,which is folded, as hereinafter described, to form a sheath forthe free end,

B is the strap. At one end it has a wing or lateral extension B, whichis folded upon the strap, forming a sheath, as above stated, for thefree end of the strap. The slots co 0. in the opposite'ends of the shellare of suitable size to permit the sheath to be inserted through saidslots and to extend longitudinally through the shell in a planetherefore at right angles to the junction-seam a. The end of the strapthus provided with the sheath and extended through the shell is arrangedto be secured fast to the shell, as hereinafter described, and it willbe noticed that this mode of construction not only greatly sinipliliesthe structure as compared with prior forms in which the strap has beenextended through the shell in the plane of the junction-seam,interrupting its continuity and complicating its construction, but italso results in the production of a shell which has greater structuralstrength than can be given to a shell of similar size and thickness ofmetal, in which the seam is more or less interrupted in order to permitformation of the throat or passage-way for the strap. This feature is ofespecial importance in connection with the other features ofconstruction hereinafter described, particularly the diaphragm employedfor the purpose of not only securing the strap more firmly in the shell,but so securing it that forcible extraction of the strap will destroythe shell. G is such diaphragm or bridge. It is made of sheet metal, assteel,which is heavy relatively to the thickness of the sheet metalemployed in the formation of the shell and strap, being usually from atenth to a sixth of an inch in thickness. This bridge or diaphragmextendsacross the shell substantially at the plane of thejunctionseamthat is, at right angles to the axis of the shell-and itispreferably arranged to lodge at opposite ends or sides against theshoulder A formed on the member A, which isthe member through which theshaft emerges toward the free end thereof. This member also preferablyhas its marginal edge folded outside the marginal edge of the othermember in the formation of the junction-seam a. This bridge ordiaphragmO has a slot 0' of suitable dimension to permit the insertion of thesheath B through it, but fitting it so closely that after it has beenslipped onto the sheath a blow at the end of the bridge in the plane ofthe width of the sheath will cause the edge or end of the slot to sinkslightly into the notch B which is formed in the folded side of thesheath, and thus cause the bridge or diaphragm to becomesecurely'engaged with the sheath. If a more secure engagement of thesheath and bridge is desired, I split the bridge at one end from the endof the slot to the margin and spread it slightly, as seen in Fig.

way with respect to the sheath.

8, in order to allow it to be passed onto the sheath and then close itup when the notch B is reached. In this manner any depth of engagementdesired may be obtained between the bridge andthe notch of the sheath.As a further means of securing the bridge fast with respect to thesheath, and thereby the strap, I sometimes employ the prominent bosses BB struck up outwardly from one wall of the sheath at opposite sides ofthe bridge, thus preventing it from moving either Obviously at least oneof the bosses must be formed after the bridge is in position on thesheath. In practice I form both bosses after the bridge is placed on thesheath, and in order to do so I make the apertures B B in the oppositewall of the sheath at position opposite the desired location of thebosses, and when the bridge has been passed onto the sheath I strikewith a proper tool through the apertures B and form the bosses 13 asdescribed, protruding outwardly at opposite sides of the bridge.

The locking device of this seal is the same as in my former sealsthat isto say, an open ring-D, which is held spread bythe sheathB', adapted tobe drawn by the engagement of the inserted end of the strap to aposition where its ends will extend through the apertures 19 911 in theopposite wall of the sheath and lap past each other through the apertureb in the inserted end of the strap. The

sheath has in its folded side the notch 13 to accommodate the ring whenit is in position occupied before locking by the insertion of the freeend of the strap. It may be noted also that the ring is so located as toencompass the diaphragm or bridge. For the purpose of further securingthe end of the strap in the shell I employ the bosses 13 13 struckoutwardlyfrom one wallof the sheath at the ends of the shell exteriorthereto, and in order to form .these bosses after the strap is inposition extending through the shell, as is necessary, I employ the sameexpedient above described with respect to the bosses B 13 that is tosay, in the opposite wall of the sheath I form the apertures 11 12through which the tool protrudes and operates in forming the bosses B BIn view of the character of my locking device, which renders the sealpractically incapable of being picked, the method of obtainin g accessto the bag, package, or car secu red by the seal which ismost likelyto'be resorted to consists in cutting off the strap close to the shellor body, removing the entire seal, and then replacing it by tucking thesevered endinto the shell farenough to cause it to be temporarilyretained, so that the tampering to which the seal has been subjected, asdescribed, will not be discovered at a glance, and if the severed andinserted end is sufficiently held in the shell when tucked back into it,as stated, the tampering may not even be discovered by taking hold ofthe seal unless the parts are pulled with considerable force, so as todisclose the fact that the strap has been ,cut. Certain features of mypresent invention, therefore, are directed to overcoming this difficultyand making it impossible to tamper with the seals in the mannerdescribed without causing such tampering to be obvious at a glance or atleast upon the slightest handling of the seal by the inspector. One ofthe expedients which I adopt for this purpose consists in forming at theexterior of the shell around the margin of the apertures throughv whichthe strap is insertedthat is to say, around the sheath where itprotrudes from the shell-recesses or depressions A A This makes itexceedingly difficult to sever the strap by cutting across the sheathclose to the aperture, as is necessary in order that the fact ofseverance shall not be manifest at arglance by the appearance of thesevered end. In order to sever the sheath close to the aperture, it will.be necessary to provide a special tool of peculiar adaptation to enterthe recess and reach the bottom of it and cut the sheath. The best thatcould be done with any ordinary tool, as a file or shears, would be tocut off the sheath so as to leave it protruding at least the full depthof the recess. A more important ex.- pedient for the same generalpurpose, however, consists in forming the strap so. that immediatelyoutside the shell itis offset laterally edgewise, as distinctly shown inthe drawings. This expedient maybe employed not only at the end which ismade fast to the shell, but also at the other end, which is designed tobe inserted through the shell and seen red by the locking devicetherein. Such offset is shown at B just outside the shell at the securedend and at 11 just outside the shell at the inserted end of the strap.When this offset amounts to substantially the width of the strap, as inthe form shown in Fig. 1, the

offset portion at the secured end of the shaft will stand alongside theinserted end, such portion of the inserted end being the extremity whichis protruded entirely through the shell and exposed beyond it when thelock isused in the form shown in Fig. 1, but being a portion fartherback from the end when the device is used in the form shown in Fig. 6.rial number or other identifying character or series of characters ispresented on the face of that portion of the strap which thus standsalong the offset portion of the secured end and to a somewhat lessextent, even when there is no character thus shown, any tampering withthe device which prevents these two portions of the strap standingedgewise adjacent to each other near the shell at the secured end of thestrap will be very quickly perceived by the inspector, even withoutclose attention, and it'will be observed that on ac' count of theformationof the strap with this offset it will be impossible to severitin such manner as to leave an end which can be tucked back into theshell or give the appear- When a se ICC) . I v i ei aosa a ance of beingproperly connected without bringing the offset portion up behind or infront of the adjacent portion of the strap, and by locating a portion ofthe identifying character or number on the offset portion of the strapwhich may be thus severed in tampering with the seal, whether thisoffset portion when severed is tucked in behind or in front of theadjacent portion of the strap,

some portion of the characters will be concealed-that is to say, eitherthe portion which is on the face of the offset and severed end of thestrap or the portion which is on the adjacent portion of the strap. Thusin Fig. 1 there is shown a serial number, part of which, the figures 7 28 5, is on the offset portion of the strap, and on the portion of theinserted end which stands alongside this offset portion I have shownanother portion of the identifying-mark-for example, the initials of theroad or company which attached the seal. Now practically the only way ofsevering the strap, so as to make it possible to tuck the severed endagain into the shell or sheath, would be to cut it at the dotted line 00or between the figures 7 and 8, and this being done, if the severed endbearing the numerals were tucked either behind or in front of theportion of the strap having the characters A B C By, either the numeralson the severed and reinserted end or the characters on the other portionwould be hidden. Of similar nature is the expedient consisting of thelocation of part of the serial number or other identifying character onthe strap im-.

mediately adjacent to the shell and another part at the commencement ofthe offset portion of the strap. Thus in Fig. 1 the serial number being724,785, the second numeral 7 is on the secured end of the strapimmediately adjacent to the shell at the side at which the strap emergesand runs toward the free end and the nu meral 8 is located at thecommencement of theoffset portion. Now if the strap is severed at so :10and the severed end is tucked back into the sheath or adjacent to itinto the shell either the figure 7 on the protruding end of the sheathor the figure 8 on the commencement of the severed offset portion willbe wholly or partly hidden. An extension of this expedient and one whichaffords additional protection in certain respects consists in settingthe figures on the offset portion of the strap in inclined or italicizedposition, so that when the severed end is tucked into the sheath eitherthe first character of such severed end will be only partly hidden orthe second character will be partly hidden and partly exposed, or boththe first and second characters will be partly hidden and partlyexposed. Such partial concealment and partial exposure will not fail toattract the attention of an inspector and cause him to suspect tamperingand lead him to test the seal, even though he is unfamiliar with theproper appearance of the seal.

There are involved in the structure above described, consisting ofoffsetting the seal and in the mode of locating the identifying num=bers or characters thereon, two distinguishing methods of detectingtampering. Both of these methods are important for different reasons.These seals, it will be understood, are to be used largely in sealingrailway-cars which pass from one railroad to another.

'While they are on the line of road which employs and applies the seals,the employees or inspectors being familiar with the seal and the methodin which it is designed to be inthe proper mode of inspection, thisdisfigurement will not attract attention; but in such case theinspectors undertaking to record the number of the seal would eitherentirely fail to get one of the figures (whichever one happened to beconcealed by the tucking process) or if the end were not so far tuckedas to conceal the figures would discover the partial figure protruding,and in order to read it all would pull the end of the strap out, andthusdiscover the fact that the seal had been tampered with. If theinspector in such case fails to get one of the figures, his report whencompared with the record will show the fact that one figure wasconcealed,and would thus enable the road which applied the seal andwhich has the record of its number to establish the fact that it hadbeentampered with before it reached the inspector who first reported it withthe missing figure. Inasmuch as there is a possibility of tampering withthe seal in the same manner by cutting the strap at the other endthatis, cutting off the inserted end adjacent to the shell-the sameexpedients may be adopted at that end, the offset being made in the sameway, and identifying characters may be similarly applied, part on theprotruding end of the sheath or secured portion of the strap and part onthe laterally-adjacent offset portion of the inserted end.

When the seal is used by inserting the free end into the end of theshell from which the fixed end extends, as illustrated in Fig. 6, a formwhich is in some respects to be preferred is obtained by offsetting thestrap just outsidethe shell abouthalf the width instead of the entirewidth of the strap, as shown in the other figu res. This causes the twooffset portions to stand substantially laterally adjacent when the sealis locked.

I claim 1. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell orbodyand a strap joined fast to the shell at one end and deflected oroffset ed gewise close to the junction; the shell hav- ITO ing a throator passage for the free end of the strap in position causing the latterwhen inserted to stand with a portion which is exposed outside saidshell edgewise adjacent to the offset portion of the secured end.

2, In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell or body and astrap joined fast to the shell at one end; the shell having a throat orpassage through it for the free end, the strap being offset edgewise adistance back from the extremity of the free end, and asecuring devicein the shell which engages the free end when inserted substantially tothe offset shoulder.

3. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell or body and astrap joined fast thereto at one end and deflected or offset edgewiseclose to said junction, the shell having a throat or passage through itfor the free end, the strap being offset edgewise a distance back fromthe extremity of the free end, and a securing device in the shellwhichengages the free end when inserted substantially to the offset shoulder.

4. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell or body and astrap joined fast to the shell at one end and deflected oroffset-edgewise close to its said junction outside the shell, the shellhavinga throat or passage through it for the free end of the strapinposition causingthe strap,when inserted through such throat, to standexposed alongside the ofiset portion of the strap outside the body,andhaving an identifying character or characterson its face at suchexposed portion.

5. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell or body and ,astrap joined fast to the shell at one end and deflected or off setedgewise close to its said junction outside the-shell, the shell havinga throat or passage through it for the free end of the strap in positioncausing the strap, when inserted through such throat, to stand exposedalongside the offset portion of the strap outside the body, the offsetportion of the strap and such exposed portion alongside the same havingeach portionsof the complete identifying mark or marks pertaining to theseal.

6. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a body or shell, a strapextending therefrom and offset edgewise outside the shell, and having anidentifying character or nu mber, one part or figure of which is justoutside the shell, another part or figure being at the commencement ofthe offset portion of the strap.

'7. In a self-locking seal, in combination with the body or shell, astrap extending therefrom to the sh ell and offset edgewise outside theshell, having an identifying-number or other mark, one figure orcharacter of which is" just outside the shell, another part being on theoffset portion of the strap, the latter portion having the figures orcharacters inclined so that they are overhung by the adjacent figures.

8. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell or body, a straphaving one end inserted through the shell or body and having a prominentboss struck up from one face immediately exterior to the sh ell securingthe end of the strap to the shell, the shell having a throat orpassage-way through it for the free end of the strap alongside thesecured ends.

9. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell or body, a straphaving one end made fast in the body and extending therefrom, and adiaphragm in the shell transverse to the length of the strap andinterlocked therewith.

10. In a self-locking seal, in combination with-a body or shell, adiaphragm therein, the strap having one'end secured in the shell andinterlocked with the diaphragm, the shelland diaphragm being suitablyapertured to admit the free end of the strap, and suitable devices inthe shell to engage the end when inserted.

11. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell or body, a straphaving one end portion made fast to the shell or body and ex tendingtherefrom, such shell or body being composed of two parts of sheet metalunited at a plane transverse to the direction of the lengthwise extentof the strap from the body.

12. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell or body, a straphaving one end portion made fast in the shell or body and emergingtherefrom, such shell or body being composed of two parts of sheet metalunited at a plane transverse to the longitudinal direction of the strapto the body; the part through which the strap emerges at the free endhaving a' shoulder adjacent to the seal and facing toward the otherpart, and a diaphragm lodged on such shoulder and interlocked with thestrap.

13. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell or body, a strapwhich is provided at one end with a sheath adapted to receive the otherend, said end having the sheath made'fast to the body, the remainder ofthe strap protruding therefrom, and said sheath the other end, said endhaving the sheath be- 7 ing inserted through the shell or body, and thesheath forming a throat or passage-way through the body for the free endof the strap a diaphragm in the shell through which the sheath extendsand with which it is interlocked and by which it is secured to theshell;

a locking-ring having its ends spread by the sheath located transverselyencompassing the diaphragm. V

15. In a self-locking seal, in combination with a shell or body, thestrap having one end provided with a sheath adapted to receive the otherend,said end. having the sheath being ex- I struck up outwardly, asdescribed, Without tended through the shell or body, said sheathobstructing the throatway or passage through constitutinga throat orpassage-Way through the sheath'for the free end of the strap.

the body for the free end of the strap; a dia- In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set I5 5 phragm in the shell orbody through which the myhand, at Hastings, Michigan, this 20th sheath extends, one side of thesheath having day of April, 1899.

prominent bosses struck up outwardly at op- 1 posite sides 'of thediaphragm to engage the LMIL TYDEN sheath with the diaphragm theopposite side Witnesses: 1 o of said sheath having apertures in positionop- H. G. HAYES,

posite the bosses to permit such bosses to be WM. M. STEBBINS;

